Start with your time. Write down what you did yesterday from the moment you woke up to the moment you went to sleep, in rough half-hour blocks. You do not need full detail; just note the main activity in each block, like '9:00 to 9:30 scrolled social media' or '12:00 to 1:00 ate lunch and watched videos'. Once you have that list, add up the total hours you spent on each of these categories: sleeping, studying or working, using your phone for fun, doing chores or personal care, and any activity you would call intentional such as exercise, reading, or a hobby. Put each total on its own line. Do this before you answer anything else, because your honest schedule is the foundation for every later plan.

Then move to money. Write down your monthly income from all sources, then your essential outgoings such as rent, bills, transport, food, and any debt repayment. Subtract the essentials from the income. That leftover figure is what you actually have to spend on non-essentials, no matter what your bank balance suggests. Be precise about the numbers, even if they are small or uncomfortable. A student on a £300 monthly allowance has a different starting point from a worker on £1,500, and both can plan, but not with the same plan.